In the past, the families of ceramic handicrafts absolutely kept the secret of their techniques by hereditary training. Until now, in the life and production, the Bat Trang people have had the high community spirit and awareness of protection of occupational interests.
A corner of Bat Trang
Origin of Bat Trang Ceramic Village
Bat Trang Pottery Village has been formed and developed for over 700 years. The name of Bat Trang originated from the name of Bat commune, Bat village in Tran dynasty which has been using until now. As recorded in the historical books, the precious and unique pottery of our country, which is famous both at home and abroad such as jade glazed pottery (Ly & Tran dynasties), brown flower or brown glazed pottery (late Tran dynasty – early Le dynasty), and colour glazed pottery (Le-Trinh dynasty) and blue flower glazed pottery (late Le – Nguyen dynasties) was made in Bat Trang. From late Tran dynasty to Le dynasty and early Nguyen dynasty, a large number of Bat Trang pottery products were exported to regional countries like Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and some European countries such as Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, England, and France. It can be said that Bat Trang pottery has been one of the items preferred by foreigners.
Lots of unique products such as glazed pots, lampstands, pedestals, lime bottle, wine decanters, etc have been made through the skillful hands of Bat Trang artisans and potters. These products are styled and decorated with colourful dragons and embossed or engraved patterns. Milk white and other traditional glaze kinds are used for pottery. During the production, the artisans paint the colours under, between or on the glaze to create unique products in colours. The talents of Bat Trang artisan and potter generations are also shown in the choice of the right sources and the creation of glaze from ash and alluvial soil as well as improved furnace technology.
The traditional pottery products are made through the know-how and high skills and techniques passed from generation to generation. In fact, these products are not just economic items or articles for the daily life of the population but also fine arts products, showing the economic development, intellectual and cultural characteristics of the nation.
Some Bat Trang brown glazed pottery pots
Bat Trang pottery products are the children born through the marriage of sophisticated craftsmanship and artistic creativity. These unique products have their own characteristics of the village and reflect the aesthetic and cultural identity of Bat Trang people. Bat Trang pottery products which have been tested over time, selected and recognized to exist and develop together and support each other have become the models for the same products made later. Bat Trang pottery products are both highly valuable in use and aesthetics. Today, Bat Trang pottery village (Gia Lam District) is one of the seven typical traditional craft villages of Ha Noi, including Ha Thai lacquer (Thuong Tin district), Ngo hamlet mosaic (Ngu Xuyen district), Phu Vinh bamboo and rattan (Chuong My district), Son Dong fine art sculpture (Hoai Duc district), Van Phuc silk (Ha Dong district), and Thiet Ung fine art (Dong Anh district).
Promoting the values of traditional craft villages
With its characteristics of cultural history, formation and development, Bat Trang pottery village has many advantages in production and business, especially in tourism development. Therefore, in 2001, the People’s Committee of Hanoi city decided to approve the detailed planning of Bat Trang traditional craft village with the goal of preserving and developing the traditional craft village associated with tourism. In 2004, Bat Trang pottery market was established and put into operation to serve visitors.
Tourists are experienced making pottery
Every year, there are over 10,000 international visitors and more than 50,000 domestic tourists to Bat Trang. The trade and service sector with the proportion of 47% and the total annual output of 200 billion dongs also contributes to Bat Trang’s socio-economic development. Coming to Bat Trang pottery village, visitors will experience the pottery work and learn about its history, but mainly see and buy items at the pottery market. Meanwhile, the newly formed services to introduce the history, culture and values of the village has remained unprofessional and irrelevant to the sights. It is the spontaneous tourism services and unsynchronized infrastructure, especially limited and unsatisfactory tourism investment projects that make up of Bat Trang’s weaknesses.
For promoting the values of the typical traditional craft village in integration with tourism, attention must be paid to planning and executing renovation investment projects; taking solutions to maintain production and business; preserving the traditional craft village in association with developing trade and services; promoting the propaganda, promotion and introduction of pottery products, and so on. Currently, Bat Trang pottery village is working with the tourism units to take visitors to the village to learn about its culture and history as well as buy pottery products in the locality.
Bao Tran